On behalf of the thousands of 9-1-1 professionals serving
the public in every community in America, the National Emergency Number Association
(NENA) is deeply disappointed that the federal government intends to continue
classifying Public Safety Telecommunicators as "Office and Administrative
Support” workers, rather than as the critical public safety professionals that
they are.

On Friday, July 22, the White House Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) published a
federal committee’s recommendations for revising the Standard Occupational
Classification (SOC), under which Public Safety Telecommunicators are
inappropriately designated as office workers. In doing so, the committee
ignored material differences between the work of public safety and commercial
"dispatchers,” including the unique training and demanding standards
required of 9-1-1 professionals.

"The men and women of 9-1-1 do so much more than just answer
the phone,” said Brian Fontes, CEO of NENA. "They guide callers through
life-saving procedures, provide advice on how to handle dangerous situations,
and provide critical backup to field responders, all while under great stress
and pressure.”

"In short, 9-1-1 call takers are first responders.
Unfortunately, the committee’s work relegates them to second-class status. It
disregards the complex, life-saving nature of their work, and it could deprive
9-1-1 centers of access to federal homeland security grants needed for
upgrades to Next-Generation 9-1-1 technology.”